The St. Thomas Indian Orthodox Cathedral Houston in Houston was established from a desire in the minds of the Indian immigrants to the Houston area in the early 70’s. They wanted a place to congregate and worship the Almighty God in the traditions and practices of the Malankara Orthodox Church.
On November 17, 1974, a newly formed prayer group invited Rev. Fr. C. O. Vargis from Corpus Christi to celebrate the Holy Qurbana according to the Malankara Syrian Orthodox rite in Houston, Texas. This service was held in the chapel of St. Mark’s Episcopal Church in Bellaire with 45 believers in attendance. Rev. Fr. C. O. Vargis decided to celebrate the Holy Qurbana in Houston on the third Sunday of every month. On December 15, 1974, after the Holy Qurbana, the first Managing Committee of the new congregation was elected with Rev. Fr. C. O. Vargis presiding. Rev. Deacon Zachariah Vennattukalathil was elected as the President of the new church.
It was, also, decided to affiliate the parish with the Diocese of Outside Kerala of the Malankara Orthodox Syrian Church of India. On December 29, 1974, the decision was made to name the church after the patron saint of India, the apostle St. Thomas. Also, the congregation decided to request the Metropolitan of the Diocese of Outside Kerala, His Grace Mathews Mar Athanasius to appoint Rev. Fr. C.O. Vargis as the first Vicar. On February 13, 1975, the Parish became a legal entity through its formal incorporation in Texas as a non-profit organization. The appointment of Rev. Fr. C.O. Vargis as Vicar was communicated by His Grace Mathews Mar Athanasius in the Pastoral Directive (Kalpana) #86/75 dated March 4, 1975. From May 1975 onwards, the Holy Qurbana was celebrated on the first and third Sundays of every month.
Today, the Parish has over 260 subscribing member families. All spiritual organizations of the Malankara Orthodox Church, such as Sunday School, Balika Bala Samajam, MGOCSM, FOCUS, Youth Movement, Martha Mariam Samajam and Prarthana Yogams (Area Prayer Groups) are active and flourishing in the Parish. Many of these organizations have pioneered missions and activities that have been role-models and examples for the rest of the American Diocese. As the Parish continues to be a blessed oasis for Orthodox believers in Houston, let us pray that Almighty God’s hand be upon us at all times so that every person and every activity of our Church glorifies His name and spread’s His goodwill.